NBA betting tips: Raptors and Celtics to shoot the lights out; Spurs to beat Clippers
After turning a healthy profit in 2024, our New Year’s resolution is to keep lining your pockets in 2025.
We’ve one more chance to boost your balance as the Toronto Raptors visit the Boston Celtics at 8pm on Tuesday, before hopefully ringing in the new year with the San Antonio Spurs beating the LA Clippers after midnight.
Sports News Blitz writer George Dempsey is on hand with another round of NBA betting tips.
Toronto Raptors at Boston Celtics
While it’s the season of giving and goodwill to all men, the Toronto Raptors are taking things to the extreme with their 10-game losing streak.
Sunday’s 136-107 loss to the Atlanta Hawks was the third straight contest in which they surrendered 130+ points.
The team's first seven losses were relatively competitive, but a 139-125 defeat to the New York Knicks preceded a 155-125 mauling against the Memphis Grizzlies.
Despite that, this team has a pretty strong record against the spread. Toronto is 19-12-1ATS this season, with all 19 covers coming as an underdog.
On the other hand, the champion Celtics are 12-20ATS as the bookmakers continue to overvalue them. That’s particularly true at TD Garden, where they’re just 6-12ATS as a favourite.
They’ve dropped three of four themselves which makes it hard to put faith in them as a -17 favourite. However, when they do win, they tend to win handily.
They’re capable of putting a big number on a Raptors side that’s still working its way back to full fitness, but we’re not ready to trust their defence in its current form. We’ll take the over.
Suggested bet: Over 232.5 points
READ MORE: Man Utd analysis: Red Devils fans feeling the fear after Magpies mauling
Los Angeles Clippers @ San Antonio Spurs
Kawhi Leonard’s absence is going to be a major problem going up against Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs.
The Spurs are returning home from a four-game road trip where they dropped three games, including a heartbreaking 112-110 loss to Minnesota last time out.
They’ll be highly motivated to get back to winning ways on home court, where they’ve won three of their last four matches.
The Clippers played a tough game in New Orleans before making the late-night hop over to Texas for the second of a tricky back-to-back spot.
The Clippers are 2-4ATS in that situation this season, while the Spurs are a league-leading 7-1ATS when playing with a rest advantage.
It’s also worth noting that Gregg Popovich’s side is a pleasing 10-5ATS on the back of a loss this season, which shows this spirited, young team responds well to setbacks.
There’s some appeal in the under as both teams are bottom 10 when it comes to offence.
Though the Clippers have the better defence on paper, playing on tired legs makes this a tough assignment.
We’ll back the fresh Spurs to turn up the heat in the fourth quarter and cover the spread by a couple of points.
Suggested bet: San Antonio Spurs -3
